I've been back in Baltimore for about 3 weeks now, and I'm almost settled in. It's taken me a while, I know. I've had a lot to deal with. Not just the nuts and bolts of moving to a new country and starting a new school, but the scary thing of actually leaving my parent's house and moving out on my own (well, kind of)...and then on top of that there's the sadness of not going home to the UK for a year. My mum and step-dad will be visiting in March, which will be wonderful, but I will be in this strange country and culture for an entire year before I go back to where I am most comfortable.
I actually had a minor freak-out about this the first full day I was back in the US. Thankfully, Hermit was expecting this (would have been nice to have had a warning...) and had ensured that we would have time for me to have my freak-out. That was a really fun day. I cried, I cried some more, Hermit spoke to me calmly, I cried, and eventually calmed down. We talked a lot, and we talked a lot with Minx as well and whilst I'm still not happy about not going to the UK for so long, I am at least comforted to know that it will get easier. It's easier as well now that the house feels like mine again. Even with the best of efforts, being away for so long meant that coming back felt slightly like coming to live in someone else's house. I've unpacked properly and rearranged my room at least twice, so it feels like it's mine. I've cooked in the kitchen enough for it to feel like mine and slept in our bed every night since I got back. The city is beginning to feel more comfortable, too. I know how to get to the grocery store, and the route to university and the Child's school. I've even started to make friends with some of the other grad students in my department, which is very reassuring. Especially because classes start next week, and I'm a bit anxious about them.
It was also reassuring to hear that my supervisor has been telling one of the other students how excited he is about me arriving...
